New Year's Reading

Check it out (as we say in the library biz):

New magazine subscriptions for 2010 at the Monroe Library

ADDitude

Cloth, Paper, Scissors

Gold Prospector

Hobby Farms Home

Knit Simple

Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Shop Smart

Sports Northwest

and, for kids:

Kiki

Something to inspire everyone.
Come take your pick.

At the library.

It's COLD Out There

When the mercury takes a dive, hop on in to your local library.

We've got DVDs you can share with your snuggle bunny,
dance-music on CDs to wiggle & warm your toes by,
recipe books for making the perfect eggnog
and dictionaries you can use to look up "nog".
(What DOES it mean?)

We've got warm-weather armchair travel adventures.
(Fiji in February, anyone?)
How about a hot bestseller?
Or maybe you need to research a good electric blanket
and want to see the safety ratings.

Come on down
....................and slosh on in.
It's w-a-a-a-a-arm in here.

Without Libraries....

> A self-described illiterate person needing to apply online for unemployment benefits.

> An older adult, new to computers, needing to set up an email account before she could apply for a job.

> A local employer who receives resumes from jobseekers who don’t have the computer (or, often, the computer experience) needed to use his company’s online application system.

> A retired gentleman, subsisting on the declining value of his fixed income, wanting to turn his hobby into a business.

> A homemaker, in the midst of a job search, interested in volunteering here as a way to bolster her resume.

Without libraries, where would these people have gotten assistance?


These are all real people who came to us for help, just in the last month.


Real people.



................................... Like you.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Like me.

Libraries.


So much more than just books.

Not just books...

and cds and DVDs and computer use. I was recently reminded of the important part the public library plays as a community gathering place during our Spanish language storytime. We had a very large crowd gather to kick off the weekly event with pizza and juice, financed by our wonderful Friends of the library group, followed by stories, rhymes and a bit of dancing. Finally, the children, and a few adults, worked on a craft to take home. Throughout the program I was amazed by the growth we have had in attendance and how many friendships have been created and fostered at this event. In fact, after the program many attendees will often take their children to the children's area to play while the adults continue to visit. Overall, I think this is testament to the fact that the library serves as a very important "third place."

Papercutting program

World Papercutting Projects: More to Explore!

A member of the Guild of American Papercutters presents series of three free programs for adults at 2:00 pm Saturdays October 17, 24 and November 7. Please register at www.sno-isle.org --attendance is limited. All supplies are provided.

Even teens not immune to economic woes

The library is always looking for ways to meet the needs of the community it serves and in today's economic climate those services can be as varied as providing a computer to update a resume or check online job ads to providing free entertainment options with our collection of books, DVDs and other media.

Even area teens are learning to cope with cutbacks and economic instabilty. The Monroe Library has offered Teen Gaming on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month. The program is a way for teens to get together and socialize over video games, card games and board games. Until recently teens have been content with playing Rock Band or other multiplayer video games. But lately we have seen a number of teens embrace older games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon and look for opportunities to reuse and recycle their old collectable cards at game days.

Also recently teens have brought in board games such as Last Night on Earth (a zombie-themed action game) to share with friends. Teens too are looking for ways to stretch their entertainment dollar and Teen Gaming offers a way for them to embrace even older entertainments with a new group of friends.

While teens aren't facing the same pressures and challenges their parents might be, it is interesting to see how our times do affect them and how the library is responding to their unique needs and wants.

Free Computer Class at the Monroe Library

Recently I had the opportunity to work with three of Monroe Library's Tech Teen Volunteers as we team taught the Beginning Catalog and Internet Computer Class. Pictured starting on the left, back row: Tech Teens Florence, Zulqurnain, and Sohaib; front row: student Marilou. The Tech Teens help teach the class and provide one-on-one help to the adult students.
This is a free class for adults who want to learn how to use the Sno-Isle Libraries catalog, and databases, as well learn about searching the Internet and setting up a free email account. Students come to the class for various reasons including: wanting an email account to connect with family and friends, learning how to use the Sno-Isle catalog and databases, and wanting to aquire skills to search online resources for employment. In 2009 about 50% of the participants in the class are seeking skills to search employment resources, which is an increase over past years.

Upcoming classes: Saturday October 17th 10am-11:30am and Saturday November 7th 10am-11:30am. Please register at the Information desk or call 360-794-7851. Hope to see you there!